STORYLINES — It’s speed and power vs. power and speed as two of the state’s most storied small schools clash in a championship-caliber semifinal game. Ansonia owns 20 championships, a state record. But Bloomfield own eight championships, good for fifth-most. While the teams have met six times in the playoffs over the years, this is the first time they’ll meet in the semifinals. The rest were all state championships, with each program winning three against the other. The last meeting was Bloomfield’s 31-20 victory for the 2015 Class S title.

But what about 2018? This was expected from Bloomfield, which returned a majority of stars, including back Ky’Juon Butler, who personifies Bloomfield’s strike fast/strike hard mentality. He’s run for over 2,000 yards and scored 21 TDs this season, including a 153-yard, 3 TD night vs. Woodland in the quarterfinals. The Hawks also have quick strike capabilities behind soph. QB Daron Bryden, who’s thrown for 1,981 yards and 31 TDs.

Ansonia counters with its old-school mentality, with its punishing ground game behind Shykeem Harmon and an exceptional offensive line, mixed in with play action strikes from 6-2 soph. quarterback Sheldon Schuler. So it comes down to which defense can put the breaks on the others’ offense. The game is being played on the mulch at Jarvis Stadium, which figures to play a role. Ansonia hasn’t lost there since 2010, a home win streak of 53 games, including playoffs. Ansonia hans’t lost a playoff game at Jarvis since a 7-6 loss to Griswold in the 2000 S semifinals.

STORYLINES — Two dream seasons collide in yet another de facto Pequot championship game. Stafford/Somers/East Windsor, which was 0-11 just four years ago, is now 11-0 for the first time in program history and has reached the semifinal for the second-consecutive time after demolishing Pequot Sassacus champ Cromwell/Portland, 41-6, in the quarterfinals. Haddam-Killingworth, which shared the Sassacus champ has won 10 games and is coming off its first playoff win in school history, 52-0 over Bullard-Havens. Both squads feature punishing run games. H-K bludgeons teams with the double wing with 1,000-yard rushers Tobey Callender at QB, Dalton Modehn at back and Zach Kauffman chipping in in key situations.

Colton Engel directs Stafford’s lethal spread attack, accounting for 1,580 yards of total offense (1,118 rushing, 462 passing) and Julien Rivas rushing for 1,301 yards and 19 TDs. Both teams feature strong defenses, too. Stafford’s is led by LBs Johnathan Kopek (15 TFL) and Cody Gebo (10 sacks), H-K’s by Tobey and Trey Callender (at DE). Stafford is vying for its first state championship game. H-K is looking to reach its second final and first since 1994’s Class S championship.

SPB’S PICK — Stafford

PETE’S PICK — Stafford

SCOTT’S PICK — Stafford

CALPREPS PROJECTION — Stafford 28-27

Who will win the Class S semifinal Haddam-Killingworth at Stafford/Somers/East Windsor?

Haddam-Killingworth

53%

Stafford/Somers/East Windsor

47%

Total Response: 232 Votes

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